Ram Janmabhoomi

:See also Babri Mosque for the history of the Babri Mosque and the political Ayodhya Debate.

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Ram Janmabhoomi refers to a tract of land in the North Indian city of Ayodhya which is believed by Hindus to be the birthplace of the Hindu deity Rama. The name Ram Janmabhoomi simply means "birthplace of Rama."

Related Topics:
Indian - Ayodhya - Rama

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It is located in Ayodhya in the state of Uttar Pradesh and has unfortunately found itself at the epicentre of communal politics in modern India. It was commonly believed, by certain sections in India, until about 1990 that an ancient Ram Janmabhoomi temple was demolished and replaced with the Babri Mosque which stood on the site until 1992. Historical opinion on the matter is divided. The site is intensely contested because the mosque - which was unused but had consequentially acquired symbolic value - was forcibly demolished by a group of militant Hindu rioters on December 6, 1992. Efforts to replace the mosque with a temple had been on since 1947, but had been continually stymied by both the central government and various Indian courts. Its demolition triggered large-scale rioting across India and led to intense communal tensions between the majority Hindu community and the Indian Muslim community. It continues to be a major issue in Indian politics.

Related Topics:
Ayodhya - Uttar Pradesh - 1947 - Hindu - Muslim

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Ayodhya is a city sacred to devotees of Rama and has several temples devoted to the deity.

Related Topics:
Ayodhya - Rama

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